


Restored

by gutterfortunecookie



Category: Crimson Peak (2015), Ghostbusters (2016)
Genre: Budding Love, Death, Gen, Ghosts, Happy Ending, Possession, antiques
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-04
Updated: 2016-11-21
Packaged: 2018-05-24 17:00:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 10,817
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6160404
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gutterfortunecookie/pseuds/gutterfortunecookie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Ghostbusters' new receptionist buys a desk with some history to it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. History

“Hey, Kevin. Is it here yet?!”

The blond man turned to a literally smoking Holtzmann running to the alley to extinguish her sleeves with Patty dousing the flames.

“Do I want to know,” he asked with a mouth full of food.

“My lab coats aren’t fun enough for test runs!”

Kevin smiled, shoving the rest of his steam dumplings in his mouth as he waited for the delivery truck. Holtzmann shredded what was left of her coat and checked her sweater to make sure she wasn’t on fire. Patty was out of breath as she stopped on the sidewalk with the small red fire extinguisher.

“Girl! Would you stop setting yourself on fire?!”

“Are we getting anymore equipment,” asked Holtzmann.

“Nope. This one’s for me,” he smiled as he looked to the white truck slowing down to the sidewalk.

Both woman looked to the hidden glee in the man’s face as he rubbed his hands together.

“I know that face,” said Patty as she tossed the empty extinguisher behind her, “Your fine-looking ass has been watching the Antique Roadshow again.”

“Fine is the real F word, Patty. This one will make my savings all worthwhile. My grandpa would be proud.”

Kevin walked to the back of the delivery truck as the movers lifted the door. He wrapped the top half of his jumpsuit around his waist and tried not to jump up and down like a child on Christmas. He helped the men move a desk to the sidewalk as Kevin pressed his face to the desk and inhaled its fresh scent.

“A desk?”

“You used your saving for this?”

“Ladies! You don’t understand. This is a 19th century roll top desk made with pure mahogany, fully restored. I can’t just use any ordinary desk for this job. Look at how the bottom sides swing in and out for storage and I can make a space inside of one of them for my Pocky stash!”

“Where’d it come from? Mid-west,” asked Patty as she touched the desk.

“Cumbria, England. Belonged to an inventor, had a title and everything.”

“Did you get it from their next of kin,” asked Holtzmann.

“Nope. He died with none. He was killed young by his sister and his wife survived.”

“Damn, that’s messed up!”

“Dude, Erin and Abby are gonna be mad if there’s a pissed off ghost attached to that shit.”

“That’s why I’m testing it to be sure with your help, Holtzmann.”

“Well, that was an ambush if I ever felt one.”

“Alright everyone, let’s go!”

Kevin whooped in excitement with his hands in the air as he led the way to the back of the restaurant. He danced and shimmied as he lifted the loading dock door and kicked open the doors to the front area he deemed as his. Holtzmann pulled a scanner out of her pocket as Patty strapped on her proton pack.

“Really? Do you know how much his desk cost?”

“You bring a ghost in here, you don’t get to whine, baby.”

“Odds are he wasn’t killed so violently,” whispered Holtzmann as the movers placed the desk down.

Kevin felt a tingle in his spine as he signed for the desk and closed the swinging doors. The scanner hummed as she held the device over the desk.

“It would be a shame if the ghost was pissed.”

“If there’s a ghost at all,” said Kevin with his arms crossed.

A beeping filled the room as Patty flipped the switch on her pack and pointed to the wood.

“Patty, would you wait?!”

“Look!”

The three of them turned to the white glow of a man hovering near the desk. Past the ghostly decay of his skin and wisps of energy, the man was indeed young. He turned, looking to each of them.

“What’s that on his face?”

Kevin looked closer to the cut on the ghosts face.

“There’s no other entry wounds on his surface. That must be how he went.”

“That’s a damn shame, he looks so proper.”

“ _Thank you._ ”

The ghost was surprised at the sound of his voice in a echoed whisper as he reached up to his throat. Kevin reached into his pocket and tore open a bandage with his teeth. The ghost stood still as Kevin placed a Hello Kitty Band-Aid over the ghost’s cut.

“You got a name,” asked Holtzmann over Kevin’s shoulder.

“ _Thomas…_ ”

Kevin waved his hand as a greeting to Thomas.

“Welcome to New York City, Thomas.”

“ _Thank you,_ ” he grinned as his blood shot eyes started to fade.

“So Kevin, good luck telling everyone else about our new edition.”

“I’m sure he’ll be welcomed with open arms.”

“Okay,” said Patty, “but he better behave or I’m slapping his ass back to Ellis Island.”


	2. Manifest

  

Thomas folded his hands and sat across from the two other members of the team as Erin and Abby looked to his ghostly form.

“So, you came with the desk?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Erin shook her head to the response as Abby looked to the fresh bandage.

“What to tell us how you died?”

“Wait, wait,” she Erin as she held up her hand, “I think we should just stick to the point.”

“Fine. How did you die? Tell us something about yourself.”

“Such as what?”

“Ghosts, depending on how they died, have a concentrated energy. If it was violent enough…”

“You feel as if I may put you in mortal danger.”

“Yes and it’s our job to try and stop that from happening.”

“Does that mean you’ll terminate me?”

Both women looked to each other and answered for him.

“Look, man. We’ve been working on this stuff for as long as we can remember. You seem like a nice enough guy.”

“That was what Edith thought.”

“And who was that,” asked Erin as she clicked her pen.

Thomas sighed as ran his hand through his hair out of instinct.

“She was my wife. I may as well tell you any way. I was a simple man from Cumbria, England. I don’t remember my father. My mother was too far on the stern side. My sister killed her to protect me. I…”

“Are you okay?”

“Now I don’t want you to think less of me when… Damn.”

“Just take your time.”

“I… After I came home from University, our funds for the manor were stretched completely thin and…”

Abby reached for the recorder and turned it off.

“Go ahead, take your time. I can promise you that we’ve dealt with more dangerous things.”

Erin gave her a look of concern, because it wasn’t entirely true. They only exterminated the ghosts, knowing a small history of what they were dealing with. This was the first time they had a civil conversation with a ghost without getting smiled.

“My sister always insisted I take a wife but I always imagined I’d be happy and have a big family.”

“What happened?”

“She was passionate about supporting my work, my inventions. I had blindly agreed to her plans to securing funds for my machines.”

“What kind of machine?”

“The land our house stood on produced great amounts of clay, wonderful for the bricks of the turn of the century,” beamed Thomas as he began to remember his home.

“And how did you get the funds for your machine?”

“I married, but not for love. Though I will try to blame my sister, I am as much fault for the events that happened. I married four times. All were rich women without families. I stood by as Lucille put poison in their tea but I couldn’t let her do it to Edith.”

“And she was your last wife?”

“Yes, she was a writer from New York. The last time I saw her, I distracted my sister, while Edith ended her life with a shovel. Lucille was so close to killing Edith and I was nearly far enough to be out of her reach but she was stagnant and I could no longer live with what we had become. I tried to stop her but in a fight of rage, she stabbed me.”

He reached up to his pale face and touched the wispy wound on his cheek. He kept his eyes to the ground as Abby cleared her throat.

“Is there anything else we should know about you?”

“I held an incestuous relationship with my sister for many years and when our mother found out, Lucille killed her out of fear. Only Edith knew the truth.”

Thomas heard the shuffle of feet behind him, knowing he had an audience hearing his every word. He never imagined hell like this or the fact that Abby was standing in front of him as she waved her hand in his face.

“Thomas? Are you okay?”

“I’m sorry. This was a mistake, please forgive me.”

Thomas shot up from the chair and ran off into the building as the light above hummed with energy. The rest of the team poked their heads inside as Erin looked to Abby.

“Well?”

“Rehabilitation. He’s still a fresh ghost. He can have potential somewhere.”

“Like what?”

“Jillian’s gear.”

“Whoa, whoa. We can’t just subject him to that!”

The room filled with anger as the whole team of women shouted to each other. Kevin looked over his shoulder to the lights as they faded in and out. He climbed down the stairs and hurried past the kitchen to his area.

“Thomas?”

He followed the sobbing of the ghost hiding under his desk. The ghost’s appearance had changed as his everything began to darken a bit. His skin filled with a little color and his eyes withed with a light blue.

“I never imagined Hell would be like this. When I died, it felt as if I was sleeping. Now I am awake to this to be put on trial for my horrific actions and now I only await judgement.”

“Look, I know what you did was bad but no one is perfect.”

“I let my sister kill those women. I watched as they withered into nothing.”

Kevin looked up to the door and heard the footsteps. Perhaps they were coming for him. It was _their_ job.

“If you could change anything, would you?”

“I’m not sure of how I could have stopped her, but I wish I could have saved those three girls from her ways. I’m glad I got to save Edith. Our love only made monsters of us. I would have gotten Lucille the help she needed.”

“What about you, Thomas?”

Both men looked to the door as Abby crossed her arms.

“What?”

“We’ve taken everything into consideration and we want to let you stay.”

“Why?”

“We don’t think you are bad and we may find you useful with your permission,” she said looking over her shoulder to Holtzmann as she herself rolled her eyes.

“You don’t have to say yes yet.”

“We are in the business of getting rid of ghosts but we think we can use your help.”

“In what way?”

Thomas slowly made his way out from the desk as he stood up straight. The young blond woman stepped forward as she kept her eyes from Abby.

“I’m Holtzmann and I work on the equipment for the team. With your contest, I’d like to have your help with testing out the safer gadgets.”

“You are not going to get rid of me?”

“Not unless you give us a reason. You said you were an inventor, maybe you can help me progress with things I’ve been stuck on.”

They watched as a smile graced his glowing face.

“It would be my pleasure to assist in any way I can.”

“Good! Then I guess its settled! Everyone can fuck off now!”

“Stop,” said Patty as she stopped Jillian from jumping, “There will be rules!”

“Patty! Really? What’s he gonna do?”

“One, ghosts have enough energy to move objects and knock around the walls. There are four females here so the ladies room near Jillie’s station is completely off limits.”

“Done.”

“You do anything that messes with the safety of this team or the Ecto and we will get rid of you and we don’t mean making you homeless.”

“Understood, Miss Patty.”

“You can just call me Patty, sugar,” she chuckled with a warm smile.

“So. When do we start,” asked Thomas with open arms.


	3. Unseen

 

Thomas shook himself off as Jillian rushed to his side. He didn’t realize that he was knocked from his feet by a one of Jillian’s testing lasers for one of her smaller mobile prototypes.

“Shit! Are you okay?”

Thomas stumbled backwards, slapping at his ear as he tried to keep himself upright. He blinked a few times to regain the senses her had.

“Sorry, I wasn’t expecting that.”

“Neither was I. How are you feeling?”

“Though I’m dead, I must say that _that_ really did hurt.”

“You’re lucky because it was only 5%.”

Thomas got to his feet and took a breath as Jillian returned to her machine and cut off the power for the night.

“You are all so dexterous and you have a remarkable array of machines.”

“And all to help us keep things in line. We thank you for your help.”

Thomas looked over his shoulder to Kevin as he was inconspicuously looking over his paperwork for the next few days. His noticeable childish innocence was amusing to Thomas, not remembering the simple joy of affection, besides whatever shit Lucille feed him in their years alive.

“I think I’m making more progress with the positive feedback from you.”

“It’s odd to feel pain when I am dead. I wish I could feel other things.”

“All I good time, Thomas. Rome wasn’t built in a day.”

“That is such an odd phrase.”

He laughed with Jillian as she closed the doors of her lab behind them and locked the doors. Kevin looked up and dropped some of his papers to the floor as he looked to Jillian. Thomas noticed the scene but held his laugh back as Jillian never looked up to him while she was sifting through the purse for her keys.

“H-Have a good night, Jill.”

“Thanks, Kev. Bye, Thomas!”

“Have a lovely evening, Professor.”

She threw her head back in laughter as the heavy door closed behind her. Thomas crossed his arms with a smile as he looked over his shoulder to Kev as the young man blushed from embarrassment.

“I must say, the ways of courting are strange in this era.”

“It’s not courting if I can’t even look the woman in the eye.”

“Ah, young Kevin. Try not to despair. You only need a way into her heart and then she will see the proper man that you are.”

“With what? Raid in her Pringels?”

“No but the wire to her mobile device is close to becoming useless.”

“Her phone charger?”

“Such a cheap bit of wiring. I’ve been tinkering with it, as you say and the poor thing has a day or two before it dies.”

Thomas winked to Kevin before he walked to his favorite hiding place in the wall across from the desk.

“One more thing, her snack hoard is getting lower, especially her chocolate buttons. Just a suggestion.”

“You slick bastard,” laughed Kevin as he grabbed his things for home, “Thomas?”

“Yes,” he asked as he stuck out his head form the wall.

“Do you want me to put The Phantom Menace on repeat?”

“Yes, please.”

Kevin shook his blush away as he closed the DVD player on his computer and let the sound of Star Wars fill the empty building, leaving Thomas to his newer devices for the night.


	4. Surprise!

 

“Thomas! Can you come in here please? Use the door!”

Patty smiled, giving Jillian a thumbs up as she sat as her desk. Thomas stopped himself from using the wall as she turned on his heel and moved through the threshold of the door.

“Yes, M…”

Thomas didn’t have a second to realize that he walked into a weapon testing as a thin coil wrapped around his foot and swept him from the ground. Jillian threw her arms up in the air as both ladies screamed in victory. Thomas hung from the ceiling, smiling as they started to undo the rig.

“Didn’t you just started working on this yesterday, Ms. Jillian.”

“Yeah, I couldn’t really sleep. There was only a few bugs to work out but this ones pretty much finished. There you go.”

Thomas lifted himself from the floor, using his supposed muscles rather than floating as his new form allowed him to. He was growing to enjoy the company of what he dubbed as his new family. The team of ladies treated him with kindness and respect, something he never found in his mother or sister. Kevin turned into the brother that he never knew. Every day he taught Thomas more about their modern culture and he slowly learned about life in the 21st century.

She gathered the last bits of her equipment as Abby and Kevin looked to the street outside the window.

“Hey! Does anybody know anything about this ugly looking RV that just parked outside?”

Jillian’s head shot up as she tossed her sensitive equipment to her desk and paced for the window.

“Move! Move!”

She looked out the window as Thomas tried to look. Jillian turned and ran through his form as she ran downstairs.

“Thomas! Get inside the walls now and don’t move a fucking muscle!”

He only shrugged his shoulders and moved from the nearest wall as a delighted squeal was heard from downstairs. Everyone else moved downstairs to see a slinder blonde young woman throw her arms around Jillian’s neck. Thomas looked from the floor to the split figure from the messy, loose clothes. He gasped for unnecessary breath as he remembered her face so clearly.

“Edith…”

The team watched as the young woman took notice of everyone watching her.

“Shit, uh, yeah. Eddy, this is the rest of my extermination team.”

“Sweet. You guys must be making a lot on money with the subways.”

They looked to Jillian waving her hands and shaking her head no as if she did want them to tell her what they really exterminated. Jillian stopped in time as she wrapped her arm around the girl.

“Guys, this is my sister. Edith.”

“Eddy, please.”

Everyone greeted with a smile as Jillian did her best to keep calm.

“So,” she nervously giggled, “What the hell are you doing out of Kansas?”

“Mom told me that you flunked out of college…”

“Laughed out. There’s a difference.”

“And you opened up your own business!”

“Yeah... Still doesn’t answer my question.”

“Oh, yeah. I have news.”

“Shit. You’re pregnant.”

“No,” Eddy waved off, “It’s kinda strange telling you now that you’re in the exterminating business.”

“What is it? Just tell me.”

“Ferret died.”

“What?”

“Yeah, a few months ago. He was an old rug anyway.”

“Sorry,” said Kevin as he coughed, “What’s ferret?”

“Ferret Bueller. He was our pet for so many years. Shit…”

“It’s okay. I gave him a memorial with mom and the neighbors and I even got you a present!”

“Do you have another ferret in your bag?!”

“Nope! I brought him along for the ride.”

Eddy thrusted a sealed white box into Jillian’s face as she looked to her sister’s shoulder. The team tensed looking to the little white fluff on Eddy’s shoulder as Jillian forced a smile.

“What’s the matter with you?”

“Eddy, what did mom tell you that I exterminate?”

“She didn’t say anything. I just assumed it was rats and shit.”

“Okay, this is going to sound a bit crazy but I need you to stay calm.”

“O-kay?”

“Now listen. You listening? I exterminate things that aren’t living.”

“I don’t ge…”

Eddy shrugged her shoulders, feeling something tickle her as she turned to the tiny ghost her their beloved ferret. She opened her mouth and shrieked at the top of her lungs as she swiped at the ghost. It took this as an invitation to play as it fell to the ground and playfully hopped after her.

“Eddy! Stop!”

“Someone get the snares,” yelled Patty as they raced up the stairs after Eddy.

The young woman raced down the hall to the open lab as Thomas stepped out to hear the commotion. His body felt as if it was struck by lightning as the woman passed through him. She waved off his form and shrieked higher as she saw Thomas. Jillian rushed after the ghost ferret to try and catch it as she stopped and looked to Thomas.

“I said stay in the wall! Eddy! Stop running! He thinks you’re playing with him!”

She ignored everyone as she climbed one of the tables. Abby threw one of the electric nets on the animal as it struggled to get out. Jillian dove for her desk and grabbed her stress ball, tossing it under the net as Ferret calmed down and played with it. Eddy was shaking as Kevin pulled her from the table.

“Are you okay?”

“Stop,” said Jillian as she wrapped her arms around her sister, “If got her, order some take-out.”

Jillian pulled her sister into the bathroom as Thomas was left with Abby, Patty and little Ferret. It stopped and turned its face to Thomas as he lifted the net, careful not to shock himself.

“Come on out...”

The little ghost ferret followed his command and climbed his sleeve and buried his small head into Thomas’ hand.

“I never thought ghost energy was enough to show animals. Erin will be a little disappointed to miss this.”

“He looks kinda cute,” said Patty as Ferret pushed his head through her hand.

An hour passed as food was brought to everyone. Jillian emerged a while later with Eddy as she finally calmed down. Ferret was asleep in Thomas’ arms as he smiled to her.

“Hi, everyone. I’m sorry for freaking out earlier. I had no idea that any of this craziness existed.”

“Don’t worry,” said Jillian as she put her hand on Eddy’s shoulder, “You get used to it. This is Thomas.”

“Did he die here?”

“No, he came with Kevin’s desk.”

“Hi.”

Thomas couldn’t find it in himself to open his mouth but he forced himself anyway as memories of his wife came back tenfold.

“Thomas, this is my baby sister, Edith.”

“Eddy, please,” she waved off.

“Eddy is a beautiful name. Welcome to New York.”

“Thank you.”

The group took a seat in one of the booths with Thomas hovering next to Abby as he held Ferret.

A surge of light went unnoticed as one of the lights blew out near Kevin’s desk. It rattled for a second as a faint glowing form seeped from the bottom of the desk, only for it to draw itself back in.

“ _Edith…_ ”


	5. Antiques

 

_One week later…_

“Screwdriver.”

“Screwdriver…”

Patty was careful to place the tool in Jillian’s hand. Thomas stayed close enough to Eddy as she was busy biting her lip in anticipation.

“Everyone either stop breathing or cover your mouths.”

Jillian hummed to herself as she turned the instrument over in her gloved hands, inspecting it.

“Fuck! Shit!”

“What,” asked Eddy as shot her head up.

“There’s a fucking screw missing! Alright, no one move! Ferret!”

Thomas looked over his shoulder to the little ghost ferret as he tumbled from his hiding place in the ceiling vents. She whistled as he dropped to the table and sniffed at her hand.

“Find it and I’ll let you sleep in my room.”

Ferret’s wispy white hair flurried with excitement as it dropped through the table and scuffed at her worn boot with a soft trill. She lifted her foot as the tiny, final nail as he was able to push it with his nose.

“Well, son of a bitch. My bad, guys.”

Everyone looked under the table as Thomas inched closer to Eddy, seeing every detail of her face similar to that of his Edith. Only a few days and he was already taken by her but he knew his in dead heart that she wasn’t Edith Cushing. His hand was so close to touch her skin but it would either pass through or she would flinch away from him, still shocked at her sister’s truthful occupation.

He backed away as Jillian jumped up and sleathfully began to turn the last screw.

“One more turn! One more turn!”

Patty and Eddy chanted with Jillian, clapping their hands as Jillian turned hers faster until the point of her screw driver caught on the nail.

“Yeah! Who’s your daddy now, bitch?!”

She heaved her tool into the ground, jumping up with Patty and Eddy as Jillian lifted the small, worn harmonica Eddy had presented her with.

“It looks almost new!”

“I remember when Papa would play this bastard all day.”

“You asked him to take you to that Talking Heads concert.”

“Yeah, I had to memorize Buddy for him before he would take me. Win-win, old fucker. I still remember a song or two.”

“And Nana helped me dance to Hank Williams.”

Thomas backed enough into the wall, watching the pair of sisters reconnect and wishing that he had the same gentle relationship that they had with one another rather than the hell of his own poisonous relationship with Lucille.

“I’m an only child.”

Thomas turned to Kevin as he leaned into the door frame.

“You know, this is the only time I’ve seen Jillian stay in a single place for more than a few seconds. Eddy grounds her.”

“You wish to have that effect on Miss Holtzmann?”

“It only happens when I have lunch in my hands.”

“Then take an extra effort.”

“How? I’m only ever seen as pretty and she… doesn’t see me as that. It’s refreshing but then again, she doesn’t really see me at all.”

“You only need a little help.”

“Kevin!”

Both men snapped their heads up as Eddy reached for Kevin’s arm and pulled him forward. Thomas smiled seeing Kevin’s blush, wishing he could do the same. Jillian wet her lips, tuning the harmonica as Patty pulled up a chair to Jillian’s desk. He could see the Eddy’s hands wrapping around the man’s large arms, wishing they were wrapping around his own when he danced with Edith for the first time in front of the high society of New York. He would have given anything to touch her again, just one more time…

“I-I’m sorry, guys. I don’t dance.”

“Come on, please?”

“I can dance,” said Thomas as he stepped in, “but I fear I will only step through you.”

“Wait, no! Can’t you help him? Step inside or whatever? Isn’t that what you do?”

“No,” shouted Jillian, “No possessions! That was a fucking rule! You can’t ask that of him! It’s like asking an alcoholic to help you win a fricking beer pong tournament. Not to mention, Abby and Erin would shit a fucking brick!”

Patty coughed into her hand, getting the room’s attention.

“Thomas had been keeping his promise and it would only be for a few minutes. He’s still fresh. He can’t take over without Kev’s consent.”

“Yeah, still a bad idea.”

“And we are two members of the team, should something go wrong.”

“You are seriously considering this?”

“Come on, Jillie Bean. Just a few minutes?”

“Fuck. Fine! But this stays between us. All of us, Thomas! I can still hurt you because believe me, I would.”

“I will stay within my boundaries. Kevin, may I?”

“Sure thing, Thomas. You have my consent.”

Thomas waited the extra second before slowly easing his form into Kevin. Passing through someone was easy, yes, but taking over their being was as hard as moving his whole body through quicksand. As his form settled in Kevin, Thomas felt human emotion again, Kevin’s heart beating rapidly as he looked to Jillian’s playful wink, feeling his reservations for her and the physical tiredness of the human anatomy.

Thomas shook out his arms, testing Kevin’s body as he stood up straighter.

“Well. This is new. I never knew it would feel like this. Miss Edi-Eddy, may I?”

“Why, indeed, Mr. Thomas,” she teased in a faux southern accent.

Thomas wasn’t ready for the touch of Eddy’s hand to his skin. At once, all memories of Edith came pouring back and it was almost too much for him to bear. The soft sounds of the harmonica filled the lab as Jillian sat next to her examination table and let her lungs play _I’m so lonesome I could cry_.

Thomas took a step forward, leading Eddy and Kevin into the first steps of the dance. He smiled, letting human emotion fill him, fueling his memories, the happy ones of when Edith was well and alive with him. Eddy laughed, resting her head on Kevin’s chest as he took in what he could of her, anything to remind him of Edith. It wasn’t the same but he would take what was given to him.

The lights flickered overhead with only Patty taking notice. The scene, however, was too surreal and precious for her to care as her smile joined the ones watching Eddy twirl across the plastic tiled floors.

For the shadows was something dark. Dark and weak. She hated the feeling of weakness as the scene was laid out before her. She could feel him as she always could. Blood for blood. As it always was. As it always would have been for them if Edith had just died. She held up her shriveled hands to see how her body shrunk after she was killed. She phased through the walls to the restroom, seeing herself in the reflection. An absent dead tears fell from her rotted eye as she found no beauty in herself.

She clenched her fists and wept silently, disappearing in a calm rage as one thing spread through her mind like fire in a dry wheat field. It was her desk. Her mother’s desk that she was made to bend over as she was disciplined for her wrong doings. She hid in the drain pip underneath the desk in fear.

Was it fear?

No.

It wasn’t rage either. It was something strange to her, something she felt with Thomas once before they grew.

It was… happiness.

Happiness as she heard the tone finishing above her three floors. If she still had a body, she would be smiling.

Smiling to the fact that she would have the chance to pull the life from the woman that looked of Edith and held her Thomas close and make sure she would see the recesses of hell that she so truly deserved.


	6. A touch

 

“Come on, guys. I don’t want to get her in trouble. Stop being such dickheads behind her back”

“It’s fine.”

Kevin had been allowing Thomas to take over his body on a few occasions to grow comfortable near Jillian much to her neglectful eye until Eddy caught them messing around.3

“Who am I talking to? Thomas or Kevin?”

Both blushed as Eddy crossed her arms.

“You both are dumbasses for doing this. Why not just let me tell her?”

“No! He needs help talking to her.”

“This isn’t fucking _Seven Brides for Seven Brothers_! He can do fine on his own. Get out now or I’m telling!”

Thomas wanted to stand his ground but Eddy had a point.

“One condition. I’d like to talk to you.”

“Me?”

“Yes. Just a simple conversation, nothing more.”

“Whatever, you’re both still dumbasses.”

Eddy turned on her heel, leaving the men to separate from one another.

“That, young Kevin, is how to court. Deal’s a deal. I’ll see you down stairs.”

“Fuck…”

-

Thomas was only able to go so far. He was able to make it down the end of the block and little bit across the street as he was stuck in the middle of New York traffic. He would wander the buildings of the block and watch as life took place. He looked in on the families, seeing how they grew day after day and even tempted his ghoul-like abilities to those that acted infortune towards others.

He liked to think that he was making a difference and maybe he was but he knew it would never make up for the three woman he wed or Edith. Every time he looked to Eddy, he would see less and less of Edith and more of a free-spirited woman that brought a smile to his face. He felt a bastard for letting Edith go but perhaps it was finally time for closure.

He walked through the walls of the higher basement, finding Eddy on the steps of her mobile home as she was steady sketching something on a bit of drawing paper. He looked over her shoulder to the smooth lines of ink that formed to Thomas ghostly image.

“Remarkable.”

Eddy jumped at the sound of Thomas’ voice as her pencils dropped to the alley floor.

“Shit, you scared me.”

“Sorry, Miss Eddy. It’s a habit I’m trying to break. I didn’t mean to pry.”

“No, it’s fine. You said you wanted to talk to me.”

“Only in the purpose of getting to know you. I already know everything about everyone on the block and I find it refreshing to converse with another soul.”

“Cool. What do you want to know?”

“Whatever you wish to share.”

“That’s not how you have a conversation. Did you die here? Like were you at Ellis Island?”

“No, I’m afraid. I died at the hand of my sister’s jealousy.”

Thomas felt like he was lying to her and he only hoped that not of the team had told her about him.

“Sorry to hear that. Jillian has a scar on her knee because of mine. She tried sneak out of the house once and wouldn’t let me come along so I pushed her as she was headed out the window.”

“You don’t seem like such a person of violence.”

“I’m not. I can’t get angry. It gives me a headache.”

They turned the to the annoying blare of sirens as shouting was heard from the garages. Eddy ran from her RV stopping in time as the Ecto peeled out into the street. They were able to see everyone including Kevin mushed into the car as the Hearse sped away into the heart of the city.

“Must be important since everyone’s going.”

“Kevin is training to be one of them.”

“That’s cool.”

“It could lead to the possibility of the receptionist job opening should his training pay off.”

“I’m not sure if it would be good mixing my sister’s business with family pleasure. We haven’t talked in so long.”

“No better time to start than the present.”

Out of instinct, he tried to place his hand on her shoulder, passing as he felt the familiar tingle. Eddy turned seeing his hand nearly touching her. She looked to his transparent hand, indulging in her curiosity as she pushed her small hand through his. Thomas felt his chest tighten at the touch of her warm, human hand through his cold form. He kept himself together as long as he could bear as Eddy pulled her hand away. He smiled, holding both hands calmly as Eddy smiled.

“That was, weird. I-I’m sorry.”

“No need to apologize, Edith.”

His face drew a blank as she giggled at the sound of her real name.

“Forgive me…”

“It’s strange to hear my real name.”

“It is a beautiful name.”

“Thanks. I think I was named after a great-aunt or something. I don’t remember but I knew she was a writer.”

“You have her artisticness, Miss Jillian as well. She would be proud.”

Thomas didn’t know her as well but he had a feeling in his bones.

“Yeah, if only the rest of the family would think so,” she blushed as she headed back to the RV.

-

Thomas found almost 20 new souls to watch over as he roamed the buildings of the blocks in the dead of night. He found himself back in basement as he sat on the edge of the desk. He wanted to watch Eddy sleep but he didn’t want to overstep his boundaries more than he already had. A small clatter from Jillian’s lab got his attention as he rushed through the floors. He stopped at the sound of laughter, nearly fooling his ears as he turned the corner, watching Jillian and Kevin laughing as they enjoyed food and a fair bit of alcohol. Kevin looked over her shoulder for a second and nodded to Thomas with a bit of hope in his smile.

Thomas sat in the hall outside Jillian’s lab and treated himself to their happiness, wishing he had a bit of it for himself. There was a bit of sadness to his soul as he wished to have the same happiness with Eddy but his being dead and only having met her a few days before hand, he knew it wasn’t right to push such emotions on her. He bit back his tears and was glad that at least one of them was happy.


	7. Blood

She steadily checked her watch, spreading out the time until he was gone. She didn’t mind him but she need a break. No, it was rude for her to think that and it was never in the way that she meant it.

Eddy watched the hand strike 10pm as she saw Thomas’ ghostly image appear from the station and wander up to the next building. He could have been something of a guardian angel, she could tell with certain people. She raced for under her pillow knowing she’d have a short amount of time. Her fingers found one of the many pads of paper that were sacred to her.

She flipped the pad open, seeing his face, seeing him smile, dance. It was him, the lovely ghost that haunted her mind for so many years. The relief brought a smile to her face, never mind that why he was there ever to bother her thoughts.

She closed the pad and stashed it again. She buried her head into her pillow and waited to dream. All Eddy could do was think about him again.

“Thomas…”

-

* _Beep_ *

Jillian tipped on the camera lens catching a glimpse of herself to the bloody nose she got from weapons testing gone haywire, more like rogue unsecure wire. She sharply yanked the tampon from her nose and tossed it in the nearest bin. She was quiet to fix the surprise test. Surprises were growing and it was only fitting.

“This is the Lazarus gauntlet. Test 1, roll 1.”

Abby bit her finger nails, not sure if the newest project was the best idea for reasons she couldn’t understand.

“Stop being so weirded out, Abbs. I got this.”

“I know; I just think I’m still skeptical.”

“ _Seeing is believing._ Just don’t shit your pants from pure awesomeness.”

“I’ll do my best,” Abby chuckled as she headed for her spot near the door.

Jillian could feel the weight of the glove weigh her down as she put one foot in front of the other and tightened the buckle with her heart nearly pounding from her chest. Despite all the serious metal she pushed into their weapons and gear but this was something worth accomplishing. Gorin would be proud in her own way with a pat on the back but most of all, her grandfather would be proud if he was still there.

She stopped behind Thomas and flipped on the switch to her glove. The hum of energy made her arm tingle and making her wonder if she was going to throw up. She reached up seeing the slight glow as she placed her hand on Thomas’ shoulder, turning him as he looked to the metal that made his skin abnormally warm for the first time in a long, long while.

The last time he remembered feeling so warm was when the blood ran from the wounds Lucille gave him. Through the cloth in his shirt, the warmth collected and made his arm feel… whole.

“What is happening?”

“Don’t freak out. I wasn’t sure if you were gonna say yes to this.”

The warmth quickly ran up his neck, showing his ghostly image form a temporary skin. Jillian pulled a safety pin from her belt and was quick to stab Thomas. He wasn’t ready for the yelp that came from his mouth as he felt the sure jolt of pain. He was more shocked with the memory of Lucille as he returned to the sound of laughter from Jillian as she stepped back and contained her tears.

“That was attempt number one of the Lazarus,” she called over her shoulder.

“Remarkable,” said Thomas as he watched his skin got back to his natural ghostly form.

Jillian pulled off the glove and ran for the restroom with Kevin close behind her. Abby clapped her hands together as Thomas took notice.

“That was remarkable.”

“Will she be okay?”

“I think it was a design flaw, something she wanted.”

“She wanted the flaw?”

“You don’t understand. She harnessed her raw emotions to make you not alive but alive enough, even just for a few seconds. This progresses our research practically tenfold!”

“Will she be alright?”

“She’s just stressed with this and Eddy leaving and something going on with Kevin…”

“Eddy’s leaving?”

“Yeah. Eddy was thinking about leaving soon. She didn’t tell you this whole time?”

Thomas didn’t answer as he went off in search of Eddy. Kevin opened the restroom door, nearly knocking Abby from her feet.

“What happened?”

“She’s fine. She just needs some sugar.”

“You know what? Go to Benny and get lunch. I know where you hide your candy.”

Kevin smiled and hurried down the stairs with Abby behind him. She looked up at the last second seeing Jillian, blushing and tracing the edge of her lips with her fingertips. Abby was glad to see a real smile cross her friend’s face for the first time in a long while.

“Maybe she’s got enough sugar…”

Abby took herself to the back and looked into as many of the drawers as she could manage.

Her eyes opened as she looked to the light peering from the drawer openings.

“How the hell does he work in this mess?”

Her grin twisted as she reached forward with her renewed apparition.

“Shit!”

Abby banged her elbow as she pulled her arm well away from the desk. She looked down to the small but deep cut on her finger. She ran for their bathroom, well past Jillian as she was distracted with talking giddily to Patty.

Abby locked the door behind her out of instinct and tried to clean her cut the best she could. The running water did the best it could. She brought her hand up to her mouth and sucked on the cut, making Lucille smile. Abby reacted as she tasted her own blood, knowing something was wrong and spit it out.

“That’s not right,” she mused as she heard a sudden rumble from the sink’s pipe.

She turned off the water and listened as close as she could to the whispering.

“Hello, Abagail…”

A dark mass shot up from the pipe and knocked Abby to the floor as she was rendered unconscious. Lucille was quick to act as Abby’s body began to seize on the dirty floor. Somewhere deep inside the host, she was slowly taking over and she would face them all, including Thomas.

Thomas found Eddy with the ladies as they were all crowded around Jillian. He took a step back, with the absent heart breaking in his chest. He was being selfish again, thinking she would think of him in such a way, forgetting that he was dead. Eddy looked over her shoulder to the sad look on Thomas’ face. He must have heard something from Abby.

She excused herself and made her way to Thomas before he tried to disappear and the bathroom door hit her heels.

“What the hell?”

Eddy jumped in time as the room turned to a convulsing Abby. The color in her face was completely gone and bits of green goo were dripping from ears.

“Abby?”

Jillian stepped forward to Abby as her neck twitched enough to snap. Jillian was nearly terrified at her friend’s eyes that had gone completely black.

“Where is she?”

Thomas turned to the sound of his sister’s voice coming from the scientist as she turned her sights to Eddy.

“Whore,” she cackled, “I couldn’t take you from this life but I’ll take you from this one!”

“No!”

Patty ran forward and knocked Abby from her feet. Jillian grabbed the key from her belt and threw it to her sister.

“Get in the closet and turn on the switch. Thomas, go with her and don’t touch the walls.”

“Why haven’t I heard that one before,” shouted Eddy as she and Thomas ran for the makeshift panic room.

Eddy flipped the switch, making Thomas jump as the electric from the walls hurt him. Eddy kicked the chair out of the way, giving Thomas room. She could feel him, what would have been his hand as she tried to stay calm. Thomas feared for Eddy but more for the women dealing with his sister on the other side of the door.

Abby got to her feet and paced to Jillian as she wrapped her fingers tightly around her throat. Jillian fought to breathe as she was dragged to the window.

“You are not Edith but you have her will and you blood will do well on my hands.”

Jillian was tossed out the window screaming as her hands wrapped around Abby’s and Patty as she made it to the window in time. Lucille used her host to turn her head completely for added fun. Jillian shrieked as Patty was taken completely by surprise.

“Oh, hell no! The Devil is a liar!”

Patty brought her foot up, using her fear to pull Jillian back inside as she landed on Abby or whatever was possessing her. With her arms pinned to the floor, Lucille tried to break out.

“I’ll take the blood where I’ll get it.”

“If you ain’t paying rent, then get out of my friend, you ghost!”

Patty brought down her hand in a moment, slapping Lucille out part of the way.

“The power of Patty compels you!”

She slapped Abby again, sending Lucille clear out of Abby.

“Ow, damn… That’s gonna leave a mark.”

“No!”

They didn’t see as Lucille had regained herself and tried to lunge for the women. Jillian grabbed her pack and held Lucille by her throat. Her foot slammed down on the toggle and forced Lucille’s form into the container until she was gone.

The quiet hiss of the seal filled the room as Kevin stood with two bags of food in the doorway. The lab was a complete wreck; everyone was bleeding in some kind of way and the door behind him creaked open as Eddy poked her head out.

“We good?”

“Yeah,” said Jillian as she wiped the blood from her nose, “We’re good. Let’s eat.”

 


	8. Truth

He sat with his hands on his knees, the same thing he did when trying to lure Edith from her spinster routines. In his mind, there was only Eddy now. Everyone had stayed up and cleaned. Glass was everywhere and Erin stitched everyone up the best she could. He knew Jillian was startled but he stayed as close as he could to Eddy after what had happened.

With Lucille gone to the point that he could finally be the man that he was supposed to be, he met Eddy’s eyes and motioned her from the group as they stayed together.

Eddy felt her heart race as she followed Thomas to the hallway to find him pacing back and forth.

“Hey,” she whispered, “Are you okay?”

“No. I-I mean ye… I’m sorry.”

“What wrong? Is it your sister?”

“There’s so much to say but you’re leaving.”

He would have been in tears if he wasn’t dead. He would have broken down in front of Eddy and begged her to stay but it just wasn’t in his nature anymore.

“I may be no use to you dead but know that I have grown fond of you and I will miss you.”

“You mean the world to everyone else and my sister and I know that you’re lying.”

Thomas turned on his heels, ready to leave. He ran to the next room, feeling dread as he tried to stay quiet. He could hear Eddy in the hall trying quietly to call out to him but he couldn’t face her this way. She had her whole life ahead of her and she deserved as such.

He waited out the laughter and the many trash bags filled of unusable equipment well into the night until all was quiet. He listened closely to the sounds of Eddy as she turned on the blow-up mattress. He knew she was having a nightmare again. Thomas looked through the wall to her toss and turn. He watched as her hand reached for the other side of the mattress.

“Thomas…”

He could only watch as he disappeared back into the wall and looked to Kevin. It was selfish, indeed and would have broken the trust of the women he’d grown close to but he knew what he wanted and it was enough to break the rules.

He pushed himself slowly into Kevin, no longer with his permission but sure to keep his eyes closed or else what he was planning would not have worked. Thomas shook himself and moved upward. He lifted his hands, familiar with the layout of the building until his foot hit the mattress. He sank to his knees and reached for Eddy’s face.

Her skin was softer than he had imagined. Thomas could feel tears fall from his face, able to feel emotions pour from him for the first time since his death. He would have been lying if he told himself that he fought his instincts as he leaned down and kissed Eddy. Her lips were perfect as they slowly kissed back.

It was him. Thomas…

She opened her eyes, seeing Kevin at first but something was different.

“Thomas?”

“If I open my eyes, he’ll see. I’m sorry…”

She could feel her own tears threatening to fall if Thomas were to leave but she didn’t want him to go, not like this.

“Thomas.”

She pulled him back by the wrist, not thinking in the slightest about Kevin as she kissed Thomas’ lips back. He pulled her close, happy that he could touch Eddy as he always wanted. Her flesh was so warm as his hand disappeared up the back of her tank.

“Please don’t leave me, Thomas…”

-

Thomas didn’t care. He did but he knew something was coming and he would have to pay the price. One, two, three…

Everyone was going about their day as he stayed out of sight. He thought to make sure someone saw him but wanted to be safe.

Jillian looked to the can of Monster in front of her and let her hand bounce on her knee.

“I know that look, Jilly. What happened?”

“Nothing yet, Abbs,” she muttered as she popped the top off and drink the whole can in under a minute.

Abby grew worried, deciding whether to involve anyone or deal with Holtzmann herself. Jillian shed her lab coat and rolled up her sleeves as she ignored Abby’s worried look or the familiar look of shame in her sister’s face. Jillian was good at puzzles as she quickly put the pieces of her sister, Thomas’ absence and Kevin’s raging headache together.

“Thomas!”

Everyone jumped at the sound of Jillian’s voice as she pulled on both of her Lazarus gauntlets and turned the mini reactors to full power. Her anger would only make everything worse.

“THOMAS!”

Thomas appeared out of the nearest wall in alarm as Jillian grabbed him by the throat and slammed him to the floor. The pulse of the gauntlet shook the building, scaring everyone as they looked to Jillian.

She waited as the pulses gave Thomas color in his cheeks and brightness to his eyes. Jillian brought her hand down and struck Thomas as the eco was knock from him. The group scrambled to pull Jillian away, nearly electrocuting themselves to get her away. Thomas pushed himself away, coughing and groaning in pain as Jillian fought everyone off.

“Jillian,” yelled Erin as she threw the gauntlets on the other side of the room, “What the hell has gotten into you.”

“Ask Eddy. She did the same thing to me my Senior year. What was his name? Rodrick?”

“Jill, I-I’m sorry. It just happened. I love him.”

Thomas looked to Eddy as she stood her ground to her sister.

“Fuck you, trollop.”

Patty whistled enough for it to echo the walls and make everyone shut up.

“Guys, let’s just stop and start from the beginning.”

“Thomas fucked my sister and used Kevin to do it.”

Looks spread around the room as Thomas got to his feet.

“I apologize but I will not say that I’m sorry for how I feel for your sister, Miss Holtzmann.”

“Yeah, we know you have a thing for fuck sisters. Consider yourself evicted, asshole.”

“Jillian, stop,” yelled Kevin, “I don’t remember anything.”

“Okay so my boyfriend doesn’t have a problem that he was poss…”

She stopped and backed to the nearest wall with tears in her eyes.

“You’ve been letting him possess you.”

“You know this.”

“Yeah, dumbass. The more he does, the easier it gets without him needing your permission!”

“Everyone stop, I’ll just go,” said Eddy as she gathered her bag and tried not to look Thomas in the eye.

“Don’t bother, your PO is on her way and is pissed that she had to travel three hours.”

Eddy stopped in her tracks and turned in shock to her sister.

“What?”

“I told Mom you were here. She called me because Christopher is in the ER sick, maybe with measles because you lied about getting him vaccinated. Oh, and surprise! I have a fucking 3-month-old nephew?!”

Everyone was now watching the nightmare between the sisters unfold.

“I’m not telling you…”

“Mom just did. It was Trevor’s, wasn’t it because dad was bad enough, you had to find one fucking just like him.”

“Thank you for being so damn perfect, little miss involuntary manslaughter.”

“Whoa, bitch! That was mistaken identity and you fucking know it! Why are you even here? Every time you come around, you bring shit with you and I have to clean it.”

“I just wanted to see you.”

“Go to the fucking RV and wait for the PO. If you run, you get arrested.”

“That’s all?”

“GET OUT!”

Jillian grabbed the thing nearest to her and hurled it towards Eddy, making shattered glass cut her sister’s face.

“Shit! Eddy, I-I’m sorry…”

Eddy fled through Thomas from the room with the group following with her. Thomas took a shortcut through the wall to fall to the street below. Eddy stumbled into Thomas and cried at the sight of him.

“I’m sorry, I wish this could have been different…”

“Eddy, wait.”

He pulled Eddy from the street and into his arms as he wrapped them tightly around her. He tilted her head back and kissed her, filling them both with warmth. Something, he couldn’t put his finger on it, had changed and it made him want to smile. Eddy opened her eyes and looked up to Thomas as he looked a bit fuller of color. He was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. She could tell that he still loved her despite the terrible choices she made.

“I love you too, Eddy.”

Jillian’s scream made them turn as she ran to the nearest part of the street for Eddy’s lifeless body. Eddy felt her whole body shaking in pain as she blocked out the fresh memory of being hit by the truck that wasn’t looking where it was going. She must have been thinking of Thomas in her last moments as he pulled her to the safety of his arms.

“Someone help!”

Patty pulled the phone from her pocket and called for help as Jillian rocked Eddy’s dead body. A group had gathered in the street.

No one took notice to Thomas who stayed by Eddy’s side as she tightened her grip to his hand…

 


	9. Better with time

Life moves on.

Jillian didn’t care. She had faced her mother, the PO with whom she nearly got into a fight with when she accused her of trying to aid in faking Eddy’s death. Patty had to pull her away. She couldn’t even look at Christopher or how much he looked like Eddy.

She polished off the last of her stashed Maker’s Mark, needing something else to fill the hole that her sister could no longer fill.

“She needs to eat.”

“She’ll just throw it up again. She needs to work.”

“I need you all to fuck off.”

The group waited in the lobby for hours until Kevin came back with what Jillian needed. She could hear more footsteps as she got her feet and stormed out of the panic room.

“I said fuck…”

She stopped at the sight of her mentor, Dr. Gorin smiling down to Jillian.

“You smell like a bachelor party but granted it’s better than it was when you found me.”

“Doc, what…”

“You need a shower and maybe a hug if you brush your teeth. Come. I looked on my calendar last year and had chosen this week to reflect. Sad to hear about your sister…”

-

She had done what she was told.

25 and given instructions through her grief as her friends waited for her.

She ate and cleaned herself up as she cried. Jillian pushed herself through as Gorin handed her a Lazarus gauntlet.

“Be sure to use this when I leave. If I see it in action, then I’ll never leave. You are lucky. You can mend. Death is but a stepping stone and she was on the property. She will be here when you are ready just like everyone on the other side of the door but I’ve always been one for anticipation.”

Jillian shook her head and accepted the single hug given to her. She stayed in place as Gorin got into her cab and left her alone. Her sweating hand grabbed the doorknob and opened the door. Jillian didn’t step through and kept her eyes to the floor. No one moved, letting Jillian act on her own.

“I… I want Eddy, if you please.”

She slammed the door shut, glad that she didn’t lose herself.

“Jilly?”

Jillian’s tears were the first to move as she turned and faced her sister. She completely broke down and used the glove, along with her grief to make Eddy visible. Her wounds closed as her color returned to her thin face. Eddy felt her arms grow strong again as they wrapped around her older sister to comfort her.

“I’m not gone. I’m a jock itch. You’ll never get away from me.”

Jillian laughed for a second, breaking completely down as her sobs filled the bathroom.

Erin grabbed her pack and head for the door as did everyone else.

“Come on, guys. She’s looked after. We got work to do.”

Thomas stayed under Kevin’s desk as Kevin sat with his back against the wall.

“At least she’s talking again.”

“Blame is to be placed somewhere.”

“It was an accident. Jillian’s realizing that now. She needs more time.”

“Kevin?”

Both men turned their heads up to Eddy as she moved from the wall.

“Jilly wants you when you’re ready, I guess.”

“Thanks, kid.”

“We-I’m… sorry that you got mixed up in this. I really mean it.”

“All’s well ends up in a better place, Eddy. Now, you can work on mending the relationship with your sister.”

Eddy smiled and turned in the direction of her RV. Thomas didn’t want to show just yet but he couldn’t help himself. He found Eddy, looking around to everything she cherished in the world.

“I dreamt about you for years, you know.”

She turned with a smile on her face.

“Would it be moot to ask you how you feel?”

“I think I’m going through the _Phantom limb_ phase where I can still feel it but there’s nothing there.”

“You had so much more to take from life.”

“I had a heart murmur. I don’t-didn’t exactly have health insurance. I’ve been to places people only dream of, had a baby with a total asshole, beat him to a pulp when he tried to hurt me. I’ve made many bad choices, Thomas, but when Ferret died, I don’t know, I knew that I was next. I had to see Jillian. She’s my favorite person in the whole world.”

Thomas took her hand and kissed her palm.

“You are different, Eddy.”

“Even from Edith? Abby told me.”

She pulled the pads of paper from under her pillow and placed them on Thomas’ lap.

“I’m not her.”

“Good.”

“But I can feel you through her.”

Thomas stopped at the last picture in the pad, seeing himself in the bank in Buffalo where he first met Edith. He remembered the suit, how worn it was and the smile on Edith’s face when she looked up from her typewriter.

“I was a bad man then.”

“And I’m a fricking angel,” she joked as she twined her fingers to his.

Thomas placed the pads in a neat pile on the floor and laid on his side next to Eddy. She was there. She was there with him and it made him the happiest in the world. He pushed the blond hair from her eyes and smiled.

“Now what?”

“I don’t know. I can’t move on just yet. Jilly’s always been there for me so I’m doing the same for her,” she smiled as she moved closer to Thomas, “And I want you with me…”

-

Jillian was nervous. Dresses weren’t her thing. It was simple and not overalls for once.

“Holtzmann, seriously they’re calling your name.”

“Alright! Eddy let’s go. Don’t let them see you.”

Eddy shook her head and followed behind her sister, disappearing from sight as they made their way through the courthouse. She was glad that they were the last ones to be seen.

“This isn’t going to work.”

“Just trust me. Stay with Thomas.”

It would only be a few minutes but it wasn’t her wedding and it didn’t feel right. She could see Thomas next to Kevin with a stunned look to his face. He turned to Eddy with the biggest smile she’d ever seen.

“See, told you it would work.”

Eddy was skeptical at first but bonded with her sister as she felt Jillian’s nerves mix with hers.

“How is it that we’re both equally nervous?”

“Can you imagine how the boys are feeling?”

“Like kids at Disneyland.”

Eddy looked up and saw the blue eyes belonging to Thomas as she tried to hide her smile.

“Ready?”

“Yes.”

Erin snuck in at the last possible second with her wedding present in her arms. She felt bad for calling him a wedding present but the girls’ mother felt it right. The girls were together and this would be for the best.

“They look so beautiful.”

“The judge even agreed to it.”

“So Thomas and Eddy?”

“Together forever,” grinned Patty, “Write that one, Nicholas Sparks.”

“I know pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your brides.”

Thomas and Eddy stepped away, letting Kevin and Jillian share their moment together. Thomas turned Eddy to him and kissed her whether they were visible or not. A small giggle got everyone’s attention as everyone came together. Thomas could feel Eddy’s grip tighten. She was wonderfully heartbroken to see her baby boy, Christopher, handed to Jillian.

“This is a present, kind of material, from your mother.”

“He’ll be with his mother and he will be loved until I come to my senses and have one of my own.”

“Sounds good.”

Christopher turned to the sound of Eddy and smiled from ear to ear as he tried to reach out for her. His small hands played with the wisps on the side of her face, exciting him as he buried his face into Jillian’s neck.

“Papers are coming next week and he’ll be one of us.”

“He’ll stay shy of the labs.”

“Meaning he’ll be in the mold free basement, more importantly next to the desk.”

Thomas wrapped his arms around a happily nervous Eddy.

“I’ve never had a son before or a loving family.”

“You’ve got one now,” whispered Eddy as she pulled Thomas along the back of the group as they all headed for the door…

 


End file.
